Airship



Sept. 22, 1931.

N. G. WARTH AIRSHIP Filed Sept. 19, 1927 v abboaww Patented Sept. 22,1931 vireo STATES PATENT OFFICE NATILANIEL G. wanna,OFVGIAILLIPOLIS,MOHVIO Amsnrr Application "med September 19,1927. SerialNo. 220,423.

The principal object of the invention is E and-attached to the rims ofthe trusses thereby providing spaces between such trusses for the gascells. By my invention, as will duly appear from thedetailed-description herein the weights and stresses ofthe structureare'centralizedv-iuponthe longitudinal girder in a manner to cause thesameto become a compressionmember restraining longitudinally allcompression pressures and sustaining the circular trusses, the trusses'in turn sustainingthe longitudinal girder to prevent buckling thereof:and assisting in maintaining itsrigidity. J The structure andthe-strength and lightnessthereof may be likened in abroad way'toa-p'lurality of wire wheels mountedside by side on; a single axle andtied together'at.their-rimsby a surrounding series ofglongitudina'lcables under tension and connected at the'opposite ends of the axlewhereby the-tensile strains single axle in compression.

The invention is.embodiedin the example herein shown and described. *1

In the accompanying drawings 1 Figure 1 is a central verticallongtudinal section with some parts indicated; in detail. Fig.2 is atransversesection on alar fier scale showing one ofthe' wheel-likecircular trusses and the central girder.

Fig. 3 is'a detail or plan v1ew-on: a larger of the cable are bornelongitudinally by the scale of a fraction of the rim of a circulartruss. 1' i Fig. 4. is an edge v1ew ofthe same. Fig.- 5 is an end v1eworone'of the transverseunits formingthe-circular truss.

Fig. 6 is a detail of one method-of spoking, the rim of the circulartruss with the central girder; i vFig. 7 is a detail of the bowconstruction for mounting, an engine and propeller.

- Fi .8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII Fig. looking to the left.

Fig. 9 illustrates'details of the construction for mounting the sternpropeller.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a variation of the method ofspoking a transverse truss rim to the central longitudinal girder.

Fig. 11 is a face View of one of the gas lifting cells on a very smallscale.

In the instanceshown the central longitudinal girder 11 is made up ofthree longitudinal 60 degree angle bars 12 cross latticed together toform an equilateral-triangle inend view. Around this longitudinalgirder, is arranged a series of equally spaced circulartrusses 13 madeup of short sections of Y girder each composed of the angle-barslatticed as described with reference to thelcentral longitudinal girder11,

and connected to one another at the outer side by a steel plate as shownin Figs. 3 and 4 and at the inner angle by a V-shaped ,fish-plate .16 asshown in Figs. 4 and 5.

These trussesstand at right angles to the :central girder and are ofgraduated diameters, they diminishing in diameter d from the middle ofthe ship toward each end thereof in a manner to form substantially therounding cigar shaped structure shown. The circular trusses are allconnected with the central girder by means of radial wire or cablespokes 14 that are attached to the trusse's 'at their outer ends bylooping the outer end of the spoke through two holes in the plate15and-doubling the spoke back on itself and fastening it with a suitableclamp 17. The inner end of each spoke is attached in a similar manner,and by a clamp to a ring 18 through a hole in its rim encircling and"attached to the central longitudinal girder. These spokes are all drawnto a substantially uniform tension sufiicient to maintain asubstantially rigid relation of the circular trusses tothecentrallongitu GO stretched and secured in a manner similar dinal girder. Thesecircular transverse trusses take and sustain the stresses imposed onthem in a manner similar to that in which the strains and stresses areborne and sustained by an ordinary wire wheel on its hub. To reinforceand better equalize the stresses borne by the radial spokes cross wires19011 chords 'of arcs of the circular trusses are shown, these wiresbracing the rim against compression or distortion. modification ofspok'ing is shown in Fig. 10* where the wires or cables extend from theangles of the longitudinal truss in various directions to the rim of thecircular truss thereby if desirable eliminating the weight and expenseof the rings 18. 1 V

The circular trusses are maintained in their proper transverse positionby means of a series of cablesiO cf 'high tensile steel wire'stretchedunder strong tension between the stem andstern of" the ship, the stemand stern ends of the central longitudinal girder beingequipped withconical terminal members-21 and 22 -resp'ectively through holes in whichthe ends of'the cables are looped and fastened with clamps 'as shownafter the cables are drawn taut.

The cables 20 are located equally distant apart around the periphery ofthe ship and are fastened to the rim ofthe circular trusses by securingthem tothe junction plates 15 by ineansof clamping plates 23,

they being-bound tosaid plates by bolts. At the stern of the ship theangular bars of the centralgirders are shown as conmake roomfor anengine as shown at- 28 and an attendant therefor. The crank-shaft of thef engine is suitably equipped for coupling it"with the shaft 29 of th'ebow propeller 30, the propeller shaft being journaled in suitablebrackets 31 and 32 attached to the forward end of'the conical member 21.A hood 33 of semi-ovateform is provided atthe end of the conical member21 to close thebow and protect the engine and attendant against violentwinds and the weather. 7

Between thelongitudinal cables 20- are to that in which the cablesQOnare secured intermediate cables or wires for thepurpose ofreinforcing the strength of the structure and for aflordingadditionalsupport for the gas cells to prevent them from bulging beyond the frame.Further provision for confining the gas cells consists in shear wires 36beneath which is placed gas cell wire netting, such as exampled at 87,it being understood that, as usual, such supports are provided at allpoints wherever the bulging of the-gas cells should be prevented.

Between the two middle transverse circu'lai trusses 'aretwo series ofguys 38 of cable similar to the longitudinal cables and of suitablenumber, said guys crossing each other and being connected at their outerends to the longitudinal cables at the rim of one circular truss and attheir in ner= ends 'to-tl'ie central-longitudinal girder in the plane ofthe opposite circulartruss. The

purpose ofthis construction is to'provide an emergency terminal-foreachend portion oftheship so that if one endof the ship is crushed ordamaged, as by collision, the

other half is likely to remain intact and adapted to' permit a safelanding.-'-

There can be-provided extending longitudinaily of the ship at its bottoma corridor as'indicated at lO to which suitable entrances andexits -are=provided.

The gas cells 41', see *Fig. 11, and shown in broken'linesim Figs. *1and 2, are made of substantially circular'form-with' fiat sides andhavinga radial slit oropening-so that they canbe placed betweenvtransverse trusses to straddle the longitudinal girder; The upper rim ofthegascells through 180 degrees is constructed of thin sheet metal a towhich the pe'i'idantfabi'icportions of the cell are attached withpacking and riveting. i The iiietalshe eting will be attached to theframe.

It will be observed generally vthat a very high degree of rigidity ofconstruction is secured with my invention through the tautness f thelongitudinal cables surrounding thehulh they pulling against the ends ofthe longitudinaL:eentral girder and bearing against the rims of the"spaced transverse circulah 'tr'ussesy: which :in turn contribute to thestiffening of the longitudinal girder,

thr'oughithe connections with it, said longitudinalgirder becoming acompression memher. The cables are drawnsufiiciently taut to'se'cure thenecessary general frame rigidity and develop 'a highdde'greeofresistance through tlie tensiie strength of the cables,

contributed to by. the uniformly distributed support of the equallylongitudinally spaced circular trusses bearing directly against thecentral longitudinal compression girder throughout its length."

. It will. be understood, l of "course, =that 1 the ship can beconstructed in the main of light strong material'such for example asduralumin or such material as is generally used in gthe construction ofair ships. It will also be understoodth'atgthe ship will be equippedwith such accessories or features not par-,

ticularly shown as maybe needed in the ordinary operation and.navigation of the.

from the gist of the invention as claimed."

l/Vhat I claim is: 1. In an airship, a frame includlng a centrallongitudinal rigld unitary g rder, trans verse trusses secured atintervals to said girder, a plurality of longitudinal cables eachextending from end to end of the girder and secured to the opposite endsthereof and supported on the rims of said transverse trusses and cablebranches from said cables extending inclinedly therefrom and connectedwith the girder between adjacent of said transverse trusses.

2. In an engine propelled airship, a frame including a centrallongitudinal rigid unitary girder, made up of latticed longitudinalbars, said bars extended unlatticed to the forward end of the ship, aterminal member on said bars, a latticed frame of enlarged diameteraround said barsto provide room for the engine and an attendant, abracket secured to said terminal member to support the propeller shaftof the engine and also support the propeller beyond the forward end ofthe ship, and a hood enclosing the forward end ofsaid engine roomsecured between said propeller and said room.

3. In an air ship, a frame including a central longitudinal compressiongirder, transverse trusses secured at intervals to said girder, aplurality of longitudinal cables each extending straight away and undertension from end toend over the rims of said trusses and secured to theopposite ends of said girder, said cables initially freely movable fromend to end for placing'them under tension on the rims of said trusses byoverall tensioning, and distinct means for individually clamping each ofsaid cables upon said rims afterit has been placed under tension.

4. In an air ship, a frame includinga central longitudinal girder,transverse trusses secured at intervals to said girder, and a pluralityof continuous cables each extending straight away from end to end ofsaid girder and secured under tension to the opposite ends ofthe girderand supported on the rims of said transverse trusses, and meansindividual to said rims for clamping said tension cables to said rims.

5. In an air ship having a central longitudinal girder, transversetrusses at intervals on said girder, and longitudinal cables supportedin a. tensioned condition on said trusses, a terminal member for 1 saidship consistingof asingle' funnel shaped shell into .the interior ofthezsmaller portion of which the longitudinal girder extends and issecured, the flared end of said funnel shaped member extendingtoward thebody of theship and havingjsaid longitudinal cables-anchored theretoin-a planebetween theterminal-of the longitudinal girder and the middle,of the ship.

Inan air ship, a frame including a central longitudinal girder,substantially circular trusses having hubs and rims and located atlntervals between the ends of said girder, said trusses having tensionedspokes and supporting said girders from the rims of the trusses,andchord-like tensioned bracing members connecting some points of therims of said trusses with other points thereof.

7. In an engine propelled air ship, a frame including a centrallongitudinal girder, a housing forming a terminal of said girder,

a propeller beyond the end of the ship, a

shaft for the propeller supported in said housing and an. engine fordriving said shaft, a propelleralso supported in said housing.

8. In an engine propelled air ship, a frame including transversetrusses, longitudinal cables and a central longitudinal girder, enlargedat oneend to form a housing, a propeller beyond the housing and a shaftfor the propeller supported by said housing and an engine for drivingsaid shaft also supported by said housing, the other end of said,

longitudinal girder having a reduced end and a conical anchorage memberthereon for the longitudinal cables.

.9. In an air ship having a central longi-.

tending straight away and tensioned over the rim of said trusses andbetween and an chored to said end members of the longitudinal girder.

10. In an air ship having a central longitudinal girder provided withanchoring end members, transverse trusses at intervals on said girder,said trusses having rims and tensioned spokes and chord-like tensionedbracing-members connecting some points of the rims of said trusseswithother points theree 5 of, a'plurality of continuous cables extend ingstraight, away over the rims of said chored to said end members of thelongitudinal girder, and individual clamping memtrusses and undertension between and anbers securing said cables to said? truss rims.

11; Inflating means: for 2111311 ship convsistinghof-a pluralityof'removableunits,

each consisting of a top rim portion of sheet metal "anclronstituting :agas restraining member adapted to' form. a section of the ships externalenvelope, the other portions ofsaid unit being of flexible fabric.

12.. Inflating means for an airship having a central longitudinalgirder, said inflating means consisting of. a plurality of removableunits each comprising a top portion formed of sheet metal andconstituting a a gas restraining member and also adapted to form asection of the ships external envelope, the other portions of said unitbeing of flexible fabric and provided with 'a recess permitting thestraddling of said longitudinal girder When said unit is inflated.

NATHANIEL G. WARTH. I

